AMT Lab @ CMU: Live music venues—from large to small—have had to look for alternative ways to stay afloat and engage audiences while the pandemic prevents people from gathering en masse. Many places have turned to technology for solutions, frequently in the form of live streamed concerts. The following three cases provide a breadth of examples for how venues are innovating in the face of adversity and planning to implement technological solutions before and after reopening.
4 comments:
It’s nice to read about part of the entertainment industry and how they’ve chosen to pivot in this time of uncertainty. This article is an analysis of multiple outdoor spaces and how depending on their size they’ve done different things with technology to keep audiences engaged during COVID-19. The first venue is the Hollywood Bowl. Known as a large outdoor concert venue, the Hollywood Bowl, and considering how heavily impacted California was for the pandemic this venue was shut down for a long while. The hollywood bowl is an outdoor facility with 17,500-person capacity and there are multiple different seating sections. In terms of outdoor venues that could plausibly have events -- this is one of the few capable of social distancing in a large outdoor space. However, all concerts in this venue are closed until 2021. I think that the tactics mentioned in this article to further provide social distancing strategies are ok. I understand the recommendations, but I don’t think that large venues will be in business until we have a vaccine for this virus.
I love hearing about the different ways that the entertainment industry is choosing to adapt to the pandemic. The drive in theatre and concert idea is a brilliant one in my mind. I have also seen this idea applied to things like graduation ceremonies earlier in the year. I love this return to something old and making new and exciting experiences out of it. I also am excited about the prospects of the Hollywood Bowl. I know that groups such as orchestras and bands and wind ensembles are having a particularly difficult time with COVID regulations so I am glad they have a place that is big enough to continue their performance. I also hope that there are other kinds of performances put on in the Bowl and that people continue to think out of the box about the performances and performance spaces available to them throughout the pandemic.
Although I do sympathise with the patrons, musicians, and other workers that have been affected by all of these facility closures, I don’t think these facilities are ever going anywhere. In any metropolitan area, especially LA, there needs to be some sort of live entertainment that people can attend. These places are one of the few that you can get live entertainment at and will not be going away. One goal of our nation during the pandemic is, for better or worse, preserve our culture. If we cannot preserve these areas of live entertainment, one of the most important places where we get our culture, the American lifestyle will have to be radically changed. Although one day we may see a change in the way live entertainment is performed, the venues will still need to be there to provide everyone a place to watch. There is just something about going and getting together to see a live performance that a pandemic can’t even change.
It is very sad to read about the damage the COVID-19 pandemic has done to employees, patrons, revenue, etc. is absolutely heartbreaking. With that being said, a lot of venues have become very innovative in the way they produce their line-ups for the season with drive-in concerts. It truly is a perfect way to create some sort of revenue while maintaining the necessary precautions for the pandemic to keep patrons and employees safe. I’m glad they talked about Mr. Smalls Theatre because I absolutely love that venue. During my freshman year at CMU, my ex-boyfriend took me and my friends to a show there that was all Pittsburgh artists. That concert will be one of my fondest memories because it showed us local music that we still listen to today and reminisce about. Small businesses like Mr. Smalls have really been hit hard and Pennsylvania isn’t making it easier with cases rising all over.
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